Life underground

Life underground

Life underground

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Underground

The London Underground system is 150 years old in some places, making it the oldest underground rail system in the world

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tube worker

Mind the gap: Kerry Phillips

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tube worker

Mind the gap: Denese Bruncker (left) and Diane McConnell

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Tube worker

Mind the gap: Mark Jenner

The London Underground system is 150 years old in some places, making it the oldest underground rail system in the world

The BBC's new reality series The Tube has become an unexpected hit. Following the working lives of London Underground's employees, including station controllers, cleaners, train repairers and ticket inspectors, the programme started trending on Twitter during its first episode last week - and was watched by more than two million viewers.

Surprisingly, given lots of Londoners' gripes with the Tube, the viewing public have warmed to its characters, and their humour, cynicism and superstitions.

One manager explained that if the improvement works are going well, he wears the same shirt day after day without a wash, so as not to jinx things.

The Standard asked five of The Tube's stars if they enjoy their jobs, their worst - and often funny - Underground tales, and whether they really are the overpaid troublemakers that some passengers assume...

THE CONTROLLERMark Davies, 41Station control room assistant, Moorgate

Role: I make all the announcements, I keep all the staff informed of where they need to be, and I deal with emergencies. I help run the station on behalf of the supervisor.

Wage: £28,000

Years underground: 14

Favourite stories: If unattended animals are on the station, they have to be caught and sent to the police. I once had a pitbull dog at Leytonstone which had been on the tracks and was running around. It was 5am and I was the only one available, so I was rushing around the station trying to tether the dog with my belt and hold my trousers up at the same time.

And yesterday at Liverpool Street we had signal failure. There were no services east or west on the Central line for about 45 minutes at one of the busiest periods. We became concerned about the passengers stranded in trains. We got paramedics on site and had bottles of water taken down for them. It was pretty hectic - I had to go into a train and I thought I was going to get lynched. They recognised me from the telly, I think.

Tube pride: I'm quite proud of the job I do. I'm proud that I come in every day and do the best I can, without much encouragement from the company or my customers. I'm quite passionate about doing a good job. I think London Underground is a performing company and since I joined I think we've gone from strength to strength. I recognise we don't get everything right. But especially in the past three or four years, services have definitely improved. The Central line used to be poor, to be honest.

Hates most: It can be disheartening to be slated in the papers a lot. Not everyone who works on the Underground is useless. There are plenty of us who are trying to do a really good job. People think we're all on £50,000 a year but we're not - a lot of us are on half that. We do feel it when people slate us, we do. We're passionate about what we do, many of us.

Worst passenger: When I worked in the booking office I was called a Nazi by one man just for doing my job - and I've got a lot of Jewish friends. I was giving him a penalty fare and I did it in the nicest possible way. I thought that was particularly offensive. It's not the worst thing I've been called but I thought it was quite a personal thing to say.

THE DRUNK CATCHERMark Jenner, 42Station supervisor, Morden

Role: Running the station and picking sleepers and drunks up off the trains when I'm on the night shift.

Wage: £41,000

Years underground: 16

Favourite story: When London had the big power cut in August 2003, a train got stuck in the tunnel and we had to walk 140 passengers half a mile down the tunnel. We were leading them along with our torches - there were about 30 of us - and we lined the route so we didn't lose anyone. It was a nice feeling, that we were all working together, and the passengers appreciated our efforts.

Tube pride: I'm always proud of my staff. The training we get on the Underground is brilliant, and it's refreshed each year. The staff take time out to talk to customers and help them. If there is an incident, they are very professional. My granddad, who was a chimney sweep, told me never to forget where I came from, so I like to spend as much time out of my office as possible, because that's where the real work is.

Hates most: I don't like the perception people have of us outside the company. Everybody has an idea of the Underground staff as overpaid and underworked but we're not. I think we offer a fantastic service when we get it right, and I think 99 per cent of the time station staff are underestimated for what they do. When an incident happens on the Underground and we do a great job, that doesn't seem to be recognised. It does get to you, and when people say thank you it does make it worthwhile.

THE TRAINEEKerry Phillips, 23Customer services assistant, Victoria

Role: Crowd control, checking tickets, customer service and platform announcements. Training to be a duty manager.

Wage: £24,000

Years underground: five

Favourite story: There was a programme on Channel 4 about the Underground which wasn't very nice and afterwards a customer came over to me especially and said, "Don't worry, that's not what I think of you. The Tube is clean, it's efficient and people are friendly." And he thanked us for what we are doing. It's nice to get that every now and again. More people do it than you think.

Tube pride: The way we're modernising and still running all the stations is good, even if people don't appreciate it. It takes a lot of team work to carry on, especially when some staff get abuse every day. It's an old network, so to keep it running every day is pretty amazing.

Hates most: We work a lot of weekends, and a lot of lates and earlies. You miss quite a few important family events and it affects your social life.

Worst passenger: Doing crowd control at Victoria I've had people push me. But because I'm young, and a girl, I don't get the nasty stuff. As long as you tell them what's going on, it's normally okay.

THE ENFORCERSDenese Brunker, 52Revenue control inspector, Oval

Role: We're there to protect revenue by checking tickets. We're also the eyes and ears for station staff: We're the only grade that's very mobile.

Wage: About £37,000

Years underground: 32

Favourite story: We had a missing person once, a lady who had been missing for three days. There were posters everywhere, and we found her. You get a sixth sense about these things: we approached her after she had come back to the station a number of times asking the same questions and buying the same ticket. We contacted her family and got her back home.

Tube pride: I think we've got a good history on the Underground, it's nearly 150 years old in some places. No other country has a system as old as ours. It's amazing how they built it all those years ago.

Hates most: Rude passengers. As soon as you approach them you know within a couple of seconds how it's going to go.

Worst passenger: I was assaulted once, when working as a customer service adviser: I was spat at quite badly. It was nothing to do with my job, they just spat at me. Since that day though, I've never been assaulted.

Diane McConnell, 45Revenue control inspector, Oval

Role: My job is to go out on the Northern line each day and check people's tickets.

Years underground: 14 (all on the Northern line)

Wage: About £37,000

Favourite story: I was speaking to a gentleman who was obviously very drunk. He said to me, "You are very beautiful for an old lady." I said, "Wow, you've managed to compliment me and insult me in one sentence." He then asked me if I wanted to go for a coffee but I declined.

Tube pride: My brother lives in New York so I use its subway regularly. I don't think there's any comparison with London Underground. My brother says how brilliant he thinks the Tube is: how fast, how clean, and the fact that you've got staff at every station.

Hates most: I'd rather do Monday to Friday, nine-to-five, but it's not that kind of job. It does encroach on your social life too, as you can't have any alcohol the night before an early shift.

Worst passenger: I've been called every name under the sun, and after a while it doesn't affect you, so you don't remember individuals. I always think they're not having a go at me, they're having a go at the uniform, at the job. I don't take it personally.